In this thesis I explore sunscreen use-practices, imaginaries, and material flows. I aim to understand how young people in the globally-immersed UK use sunscreens and how they makesense of them. Specifically, I follow Donna Haraway’s practice of implosion, employing theconcepts of care and toxicity to explore how sunscreens are employed to protect particularbodily ideals, aspects of embodied subjectivities and material-discursive boundaries. In following these various forms of protection, I ask what normative discourses, ecologies andbodies are, in turn, made vulnerable. The main corpus of my study comes from interviewconversations with eight people. Their stories highlight how sunscreens mediate understandings of skin, places, bodies, and social relations. I analyse sunscreen advertising from 1979to 2019 to investigate harmonies and conflicts between the cultural imaginaries curated bysunscreen companies and the stories which emerged from these interview conversations. Ialso put these materials into conversation with sunscreen discourses from the biological sciences, asking how these cultural works infuse sunscreen practices and material-semiotics.This thesis is an exploratory journey which encounters tanning, ageing, beauty, ‘race’,smells, places, intimacies, sun-burns, skin cancers, bodily boundaries, ‘Endocrine Disruptors’, toxic ecologies, and emplaced knowledges. It traverses disciplinary boundaries, following attitudes from the feminist and environmental post-humanities in bringing togetherapproaches, methods and theorising from many varied fields of scholarship usually locatedin the humanities, social sciences, and ‘natural’ sciences. As such, this thesis is a wide-ranging, thick description of how sunscreens are used in desires for protection and what is contingently and consequently made vulnerable.

No description available.

This study was carried out at the Department of Nanotechnology and Functional Materials,Uppsala University, one of several places where the interest of lignin in cosmetics is constantly growing. The functionalities of lignin have been studied to a great extent revealing its potential as a natural biopolymer to serve as a replacement for environmentally hazardous components in cosmetic formulations, namely UV-filters in sunscreens. Using ethnographic methods and qualitative interviews the lignin-cosmetic industry was observed and analyzed in order to discern how concerned the industry is with ecological andaesthetic value. Ecological value is a hallmark of the value proposition in the cosmetic industry, and leaders of the industry indeed share this view. The analysis further revealed that the actors of the lignin-cosmetic industry are at different stages of development and that as of this year we can expect the first product to be launched. Furthermore, the value chain of the lignin actors was identified and for the first time mapped out in detail from the qualitative analysis that was carried out targeting lignin actors within the lignin-cosmetic industry. Mapping the value chain revealed the actors included in the entire chain identified as biorefinery, manufacturer, modifier, formulator, distributor and retailer which together compose the lignin-cosmetic value chain. A qualitative, semi structured interview approach was used and adapted as we met with eleven actors interviewing them about ecological and aesthetic values in the lignin based product value proposition. The grounded theory was applied to analyze the data, generating eight categories representing the concepts comprising ecological and aesthetic values of the value proposition. The kernel category, Green Profile, explains the most important concepts valued by lignin actors in terms of what ecological and aesthetic value could be offered to be appealing to customers. The findings of this study reveals the current situation of lignin in the cosmetic market as of today, and discerns where the value of lignin lies. The understanding of lignin actors' values contributes to the current gray-area in biopolymer research, lacking information on the value chain of lignin in cosmetics. The findings therefore foster the advancement of sustainable innovative solutions for cosmetics and personal care.

L’œuf est un aliment riche en divers composés dont de nombreuses molécules antimicrobiennes qui sont les effectrices de son système de défense moléculaire innée et complètent l’action des immunoglobulines (IgYs) afin de protéger l’embryon. La composition en IgYs de l’œuf est sous la dépendance notamment des stimulations microbiennes de la poule. L’objectif de notre travail a été d’évaluer l’influence de ces mêmes stimulations sur le système de défense moléculaire innée du blanc d’œuf. Nous avons exploré cette hypothèse en utilisant deux approches expérimentales. La première était basée sur la comparaison de l’activité antibactérienne des blancs d’œufs de poules axéniques, de poules exemptes d’organismes pathogènes spécifiques (EOPS), et de poules conventionnelles. La seconde approche a testé les effets de deux types d’inductions du système immunitaire chez la poule: injection d’un immunostimulant, le lipopolysaccharide bactérien (LPS) et administration oral de souches vaccinales atténuées (virale, bactérienne et parasitaire). Nos résultats montrent que l’activité antibactérienne du blanc d’œuf est augmentée en fonction de la charge microbienne du milieu de vie de la poule, après stimulation de celle-ci par voie intraveineuse avec du LPS ou suite à la vaccination avec des souches atténuées virale ou bactérienne. Néanmoins cette augmentation est modérée de par son amplitude et son spectre antibactérien. Ces résultats suggèrent que les poules peuvent renforcer modérément l’activité antimicrobienne du blanc d’œuf en réponse à des stimuli microbiens de leur milieu et anticiper ainsi les besoins de l’embryon en termes de protection. / The egg is a balanced source of different nutrients and contains a myriad of antibacterial peptides/proteins that ensure its chemical protection. These molecules are a part of its innate molecular defense and, in addition to the maternal immunoglobulins IgY, contribute to the protection of the forming embryo whose development occurs ex utero. It is well documented that yolk immunoglobulin deposition is induced by the environmental microbiome of the hen but no such evidence is available for antimicrobial peptides/proteins. Therefore the aim of this thesis was to assess whether the hen has the ability to stimulate the innate molecular immunity of the egg white when facing a higher environmental microbial load (commensal or pathogenic). To address these questions, we developed two main experimental approaches; the first assessed the impact of the hen environmental microbial load through the comparison of three groups of hens with different immune status:-Germ free, -Specific pathogen free (SPF), and -conventional. The second approach explored the effect of different types of immune stimulation in hens: non-infectious stimulation (systemic injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)); immune stimulation using attenuated live vaccines (Infectious bronchitis virus vaccine, Salmonella enterica Enteritidis vaccine and a complex of Eimeria vaccine). Our results show that the activity of egg white is increased in response to higher microbial environmental charge, after LPS systemic stimulation or after vaccinating hens with live attenuated viral and bacterial strains. However this response is moderate both in its amplitude and microbial spectrum. Altogether, it appears that hens when subjected to immune stimuli, have the ability to reinforce moderately the antibacterial activity of the egg white as an attempt to anticipate the need of protection of their embryos.

Extratos vegetais glicólicos são amplamente utilizados em formulações cosméticas devido às várias atividades clínicas atribuídas aos mesmos. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo selecionar os seis extratos comerciais glicólicos não padronizados com maiores teores de polifenóis e flavonoides totais e com maior atividade antioxidante dentre doze extratos [açaí (Euterpe oleracea), acerola (Malpighia glabra L.), castanha da Índia (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), chá verde (Camellia sinensis), erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil), framboesa (Rubus idaeus L.), ginco (Ginkgo biloba L.), menta (Mentha piperita L.), morango (Fragaria vesca L.), própolis, romã (Punica granatum L.) e uva (Vitis vinifera L.)] para realização de Estudo da Estabilidade e avaliação in vitro da eficácia fotoprotetora dos mesmos. A dissertação foi dividida em três capítulos. No primeiro capítulo, os doze extratos glicólicos foram avaliados quanto à presença e teor de flavonoides e polifenóis totais, bem como, quanto à atividade antioxidante determinada por DPPH e ORAC. Os extratos de romã, erva-mate, menta, própolis, ginco e chá verde apresentaram os maiores teores de polifenóis e flavonoides totais. Assim, os mesmos foram selecionados para as etapas seguintes do estudo. O capítulo 2 apresentou o estudo da estabilidade, ao longo de 90 dias, dos seis extratos selecionados. Avaliaram-se as características organolépticas, o valor do pH, da viscosidade dinâmica e da densidade absoluta, o teor de polifenóis e flavonoides totais e a atividade antioxidante nas condições geladeira, estufa e temperatura ambiente com proteção da incidência de luz solar e exposta à luz solar indireta. Variações superiores ao intervalo de ± 10,0 % foram observadas em todos os extratos, em pelo menos um parâmetro estudado. O extrato de chá verde apresentou variações no valor de pH, no teor de polifenóis e flavonoides totais e na atividade antioxidante. O extrato de ginco apresentou variações nos mesmos parâmetros que o extrato de chá verde, exceto no valor de pH. Teor de polifenóis totais e atividade antioxidante foram os parâmetros alterados no extrato de menta. Esses três extratos devem ser armazenados em geladeira (5 °C), ao abrigo da luz solar. Teor de flavonoides totais e valor da atividade antioxidante foram os parâmetros alterados no extrato de erva-mate. O extrato de própolis apresentou variações no teor de polifenóis e flavonoides totais. Observou-se que esses dois extratos podem ser armazenados à temperatura ambiente ou em geladeira. O extrato de romã demonstrou alterações no valor da atividade antioxidante e sua estabilidade não foi afetada em temperatura elevada (45 °C). No capítulo 3, avaliou-se a eficácia fotoprotetora in vitro (FPS estimado), por espectrofotometria de reflectância difusa e análise espectrofotométrica de soluções diluídas (método de Mansur), desses seis extratos, incorporados em formulações contendo ou não o filtro solar químico de amplo espectro bisetilexiloxifenol metoxifenil triazina (Escalol® S). Observou-se que o valor de FPS foi proporcional à quantidade de filtro utilizado nos resultados do método de Mansur. Formulações com ou sem adição dos extratos glicólicos e com 2,5% p/p do filtro solar apresentaram FPS variando no intervalo de 3,57 a 4,07; enquanto que, aquelas que continham 5,0% p/p do filtro aditivadas ou não de extrato glicólico apresentaram valores de FPS variando na faixa de 6,13 a 7,57. Os resultados gerados pelo espectrofotômetro de reflectância difusa indicaram FPS variando no intervalo de 6,0 a 7,0 para as formulações com 5,0% p/p de filtro aditivadas ou não de extrato glicólico e 3,0 a 4,5 para aquelas que continham 2,5% p/p do filtro solar com ou sem adição dos extratos. As duas metodologias empregadas revelaram ausência de sinergismo entre os extratos glicólicos e o filtro solar nas proporções utilizadas. / Glycolic botanical extracts have been widely used in cosmetic formulas due to their clinical activities. The objective of this study was to select six glycolic commercial extracts with higher polyphenol and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in a group with twelve extracts [açaí (Euterpe oleracea), acerola (Malpighia glabra L.), horse chesnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), green tea (Camellia sinensis), mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil), raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.), mint (Mentha piperita L.), strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.), propolis, pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and grape (Vitis vinifera L.)] to do their stability study and their in vitro evaluation of photoprotection efficacy. The dissertation was divided in three chapters. In the first chapter, it was developed the polyphenolic and flavonoid content assays and the DPPH and ORAC antioxidant activity assays involving all the twelve extracts. The higher values of polyphenolic and flavonoid content were obtained in the extracts of pomegranate, mate tea, mint, propolis, ginkgo and green tea. Thus, they were selected to undergo the other studies. In chapter 2, it was presented the stability study of this six extracts during 90 days. Organoleptic characteristics, pH value, dynamic viscosity and absolute density values, polyphenolic and flavonoid content and the antioxidant activity in the conditions refrigerator, stove and room temperature with and without sun light exposition were evaluated. Variations higher than a range of 10,0 % were observed in all extracts in at least one studied parameter. The green tea extract presented significant variations in the pH value, polyphenolic and flavonoid content and in the antioxidant activity. The ginkgo extract presented variations in the same parameters, except for the pH value. Polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity were altered parameters in the mint extract. The extracts of ginkgo, green tea and mint must be stored in refrigerator (5 °C), protected from the sun light. The flavonoid content and antioxidant activity values were altered parameters in the mate tea extract. The propolis extract presented variations in the polyphenolic and flavonoids content. It was observed that this two extracts can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The pomegranate extract demonstrated alteration in the antioxidant activity, however the high temperature (45 °C) did not affect its stability. In chapter 3, it was evaluated the in vitro photoprotection efficacy (SPF estimated), by diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry and spectrophotometric analyses of diluted solutions (Mansur methods), of these six extracts, incorporated in formulas containing or not the broad spectrum filter bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (Escalol® S). It was observed that the SPF value was proportional to the amount of filter used in the Mansur method. Formulas with and without the glycolic extracts and with 2,5% w/w of the sun filter presented SPF ranging from 3,57 to 4,07; the formulas with 5,0% w/w of sun filter containing or not extracts presented SPF values in the interval between 6,13 and 7,57. The results of diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry indicated SPF values in the interval of 6,0 to 7,0 for formulas with 5,0% w/w of sun filter with or without extracts and values in the interval of 3,0 to 4,5 for formulas with 2,5 w/w of sun filter containing or not extracts. Both methodologies used indicated lack of synergism between the glycolic extracts and sun filter in the proportions used.

Extratos vegetais glicólicos são amplamente utilizados em formulações cosméticas devido às várias atividades clínicas atribuídas aos mesmos. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo selecionar os seis extratos comerciais glicólicos não padronizados com maiores teores de polifenóis e flavonoides totais e com maior atividade antioxidante dentre doze extratos [açaí (Euterpe oleracea), acerola (Malpighia glabra L.), castanha da Índia (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), chá verde (Camellia sinensis), erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil), framboesa (Rubus idaeus L.), ginco (Ginkgo biloba L.), menta (Mentha piperita L.), morango (Fragaria vesca L.), própolis, romã (Punica granatum L.) e uva (Vitis vinifera L.)] para realização de Estudo da Estabilidade e avaliação in vitro da eficácia fotoprotetora dos mesmos. A dissertação foi dividida em três capítulos. No primeiro capítulo, os doze extratos glicólicos foram avaliados quanto à presença e teor de flavonoides e polifenóis totais, bem como, quanto à atividade antioxidante determinada por DPPH e ORAC. Os extratos de romã, erva-mate, menta, própolis, ginco e chá verde apresentaram os maiores teores de polifenóis e flavonoides totais. Assim, os mesmos foram selecionados para as etapas seguintes do estudo. O capítulo 2 apresentou o estudo da estabilidade, ao longo de 90 dias, dos seis extratos selecionados. Avaliaram-se as características organolépticas, o valor do pH, da viscosidade dinâmica e da densidade absoluta, o teor de polifenóis e flavonoides totais e a atividade antioxidante nas condições geladeira, estufa e temperatura ambiente com proteção da incidência de luz solar e exposta à luz solar indireta. Variações superiores ao intervalo de ± 10,0 % foram observadas em todos os extratos, em pelo menos um parâmetro estudado. O extrato de chá verde apresentou variações no valor de pH, no teor de polifenóis e flavonoides totais e na atividade antioxidante. O extrato de ginco apresentou variações nos mesmos parâmetros que o extrato de chá verde, exceto no valor de pH. Teor de polifenóis totais e atividade antioxidante foram os parâmetros alterados no extrato de menta. Esses três extratos devem ser armazenados em geladeira (5 °C), ao abrigo da luz solar. Teor de flavonoides totais e valor da atividade antioxidante foram os parâmetros alterados no extrato de erva-mate. O extrato de própolis apresentou variações no teor de polifenóis e flavonoides totais. Observou-se que esses dois extratos podem ser armazenados à temperatura ambiente ou em geladeira. O extrato de romã demonstrou alterações no valor da atividade antioxidante e sua estabilidade não foi afetada em temperatura elevada (45 °C). No capítulo 3, avaliou-se a eficácia fotoprotetora in vitro (FPS estimado), por espectrofotometria de reflectância difusa e análise espectrofotométrica de soluções diluídas (método de Mansur), desses seis extratos, incorporados em formulações contendo ou não o filtro solar químico de amplo espectro bisetilexiloxifenol metoxifenil triazina (Escalol® S). Observou-se que o valor de FPS foi proporcional à quantidade de filtro utilizado nos resultados do método de Mansur. Formulações com ou sem adição dos extratos glicólicos e com 2,5% p/p do filtro solar apresentaram FPS variando no intervalo de 3,57 a 4,07; enquanto que, aquelas que continham 5,0% p/p do filtro aditivadas ou não de extrato glicólico apresentaram valores de FPS variando na faixa de 6,13 a 7,57. Os resultados gerados pelo espectrofotômetro de reflectância difusa indicaram FPS variando no intervalo de 6,0 a 7,0 para as formulações com 5,0% p/p de filtro aditivadas ou não de extrato glicólico e 3,0 a 4,5 para aquelas que continham 2,5% p/p do filtro solar com ou sem adição dos extratos. As duas metodologias empregadas revelaram ausência de sinergismo entre os extratos glicólicos e o filtro solar nas proporções utilizadas. / Glycolic botanical extracts have been widely used in cosmetic formulas due to their clinical activities. The objective of this study was to select six glycolic commercial extracts with higher polyphenol and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in a group with twelve extracts [açaí (Euterpe oleracea), acerola (Malpighia glabra L.), horse chesnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.), green tea (Camellia sinensis), mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil), raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.), mint (Mentha piperita L.), strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.), propolis, pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and grape (Vitis vinifera L.)] to do their stability study and their in vitro evaluation of photoprotection efficacy. The dissertation was divided in three chapters. In the first chapter, it was developed the polyphenolic and flavonoid content assays and the DPPH and ORAC antioxidant activity assays involving all the twelve extracts. The higher values of polyphenolic and flavonoid content were obtained in the extracts of pomegranate, mate tea, mint, propolis, ginkgo and green tea. Thus, they were selected to undergo the other studies. In chapter 2, it was presented the stability study of this six extracts during 90 days. Organoleptic characteristics, pH value, dynamic viscosity and absolute density values, polyphenolic and flavonoid content and the antioxidant activity in the conditions refrigerator, stove and room temperature with and without sun light exposition were evaluated. Variations higher than a range of 10,0 % were observed in all extracts in at least one studied parameter. The green tea extract presented significant variations in the pH value, polyphenolic and flavonoid content and in the antioxidant activity. The ginkgo extract presented variations in the same parameters, except for the pH value. Polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity were altered parameters in the mint extract. The extracts of ginkgo, green tea and mint must be stored in refrigerator (5 °C), protected from the sun light. The flavonoid content and antioxidant activity values were altered parameters in the mate tea extract. The propolis extract presented variations in the polyphenolic and flavonoids content. It was observed that this two extracts can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The pomegranate extract demonstrated alteration in the antioxidant activity, however the high temperature (45 °C) did not affect its stability. In chapter 3, it was evaluated the in vitro photoprotection efficacy (SPF estimated), by diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry and spectrophotometric analyses of diluted solutions (Mansur methods), of these six extracts, incorporated in formulas containing or not the broad spectrum filter bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (Escalol® S). It was observed that the SPF value was proportional to the amount of filter used in the Mansur method. Formulas with and without the glycolic extracts and with 2,5% w/w of the sun filter presented SPF ranging from 3,57 to 4,07; the formulas with 5,0% w/w of sun filter containing or not extracts presented SPF values in the interval between 6,13 and 7,57. The results of diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry indicated SPF values in the interval of 6,0 to 7,0 for formulas with 5,0% w/w of sun filter with or without extracts and values in the interval of 3,0 to 4,5 for formulas with 2,5 w/w of sun filter containing or not extracts. Both methodologies used indicated lack of synergism between the glycolic extracts and sun filter in the proportions used.

[pt] Diversos trabalhos de pesquisa constatam as evidentes correlações entre a exposição excessiva à radiação solar e a incidência de câncer de pele, de catarata e de envelhecimento precoce da pele. O mercado de cosméticos destinados à proteção solar encontra-se em franca expansão; diversos países adotam legislações específicas para esses produtos. No Brasil eles são regulados pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA). Porém, não existem métodos oficiais de análise química para determinar filtros solares em cosméticos. No presente trabalho foi desenvolvido um procedimento de análise qualitativa de cosméticos comerciais com filtros solares por espectrometria de massa LDI-TOF (Laser Desorption Ionization - Time-of-Flight). A técnica LDI utiliza um feixe de luz laser monocromático, Lambda = 337nm, como sonda para excitar, dessorver e ionizar o analito. Embora o espectro da radiação solar seja contínuo, o comprimento de onda utilizado em LDI se situa bem próximo do valor médio da faixa de radiação que compreende UVA e UVB, o que torna a técnica LDI potencialmente apropriada para excitar moléculas das substâncias ativas similarmente aos raios solares. Por tais características, é razoável esperar que LDI seja seletiva para detectar filtros solar presentes nas composições dos cosméticos. Paralelamente, foi utilizada também a espectrometria de massa (252)Cf-PDMS (Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry), que utiliza os fragmentos de fissão do nuclídeo radioativo califórnio 252 no lugar do laser. Foram obtidos espectros de massa de íons positivos e negativos de 8 cosméticos comerciais por ambas as técnicas, bem como espectros PDMS das substâncias ativas permitidas pela ANVISA. As massas observadas nos espectros de massa LDI dos produtos selecionados foram comparadas com: i) as massas moleculares de todas as substâncias ativas permitidas; ii) as massas observadas nos espectros PDMS das substâncias padrões permitidas e dos cosméticos comerciais; iii) as massas moleculares dos filtros solares indicados nos rótulos. A seletividade da técnica LDI para identificar filtros solares em cosméticos foi demonstrada pelos espectros de massa de íons positivos e negativos das oito amostras analisadas. / [en] Several studies of research note the obvious correlation between excessive exposure to sunlight, and the incidence of skin cancer, cataracts and premature aging of the skin. The market for cosmetics for sun protection is in the booming; various countries adopt laws specific to these products. In Brazil they are regulated by the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). However, there are no official methods of chemical analysis to determine solar filters in cosmetics. In this work was developed a procedure for qualitative analysis of commercial cosmetics with solar filters by mass spectrometry LDI-TOF (Laser Desorption Ionization - Time-of-Flight). LDI technique uses a beam of monochromatic laser light, Lambda = 337 nm, as a probe to excite, desorbs and ionize the analyte. Although the spectrum of solar radiation is continuous, the wavelength used in LDI is well on the average range of radiation that includes UVA and UVB, which makes technical LDI potentially suitable to excite molecules of active substances similarly to lightning Sun. For such characteristics, it is reasonable to expect that LDI be selective to detect solar filters presents on cosmetics products. In parallel, was also used mass spectrometry (252)Cf-PDMS (Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry), which uses fragments of the fission of radioactive nuclide californium 252 instead of laser. Mass spectra were obtained from positive and negative ions, eight commercial cosmetics by both techniques, and PDMS spectra of active substances allowed by ANVISA. Masses observed on LDI mass spectra from selected products were compared with: i) molecular masses of all active substances allowed; ii) masses observed on PDMS mass spectra from standards allowed and commercial cosmetics; iii) molecular masses of sunscreens in its labels. The selectivity of the LDI technique to identify solar filters in cosmetics was demonstrated by mass spectra of positive and negative ions of the eight samples.

The UK government’s Carbon Plan-2011 aims for 80% carbon emission reduction by 2050, and the 2009 UK National Renewable Energy Action Plan has set a target of delivering 15% of total energy demand by renewable energy sources by 2020. Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems can play a critical role in reaching these goals within the building sector. Achieving such benefits relies on proper design, integration, installation, commissioning, and operation of these systems. This work seeks to provide evidence to improve the practices in design, installation and operations of large GSHP systems. This evidence has been based on collection and analysis of data from an operational large-scale GSHP system providing heating and cooling to a university building. The data set is of significance in that it is collected from a large-scale system incorporating fifty-six borehole heat exchangers and four heat pumps. The data has been collected at high frequency since the start of operation and for a period of three years. The borehole heat exchanger data is intended to form a reference data set for use by other workers in model validation studies. The ground thermal properties at the site have been estimated using a novel combination of numerical model and parameter estimation methods. The utility of the reference data set has been demonstrated through application in a validation study of a numerical borehole heat exchanger model. The system heat balances and power consumption data have firstly been analysed to derive a range of performance metrics such as Seasonal Performance Factors. Analysis has been carried out at the system and individual heat pump level. Annual performance has been found satisfactory overall. A series of analyses have been carried out to investigate the roles of circulating pump energy, control system operation and dynamic behaviour. Monitoring data from one of the heat pumps has also been analysed in further detail to make comparisons with manufacturer’s steady-state performance data and with consideration to variations in fluid properties. Some modest degradation from stated performance has been identified. The most significant operational factors accounting for degradation of overall system performance have been excessive pump energy demands and short cycling behaviour. Some faults in operation of the system during the monitoring period have also been identified. A series of recommendations are made as to ways to improve the design and operation of large-scale GSHP systems based on this evidence. These recommendations are chiefly concerned with better design for part-load operation, reduction in pump energy demands and more robust control systems.

Dans le cadre de cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à l’étude de l’apport d’une aide assistée par ordinateur au diagnostic de certaines maladies dégénératives du cerveau, en explorant les images de tomographie par émission de positons, par des techniques de traitement d’image et d’analyse statistique.Nous nous sommes intéressés à la représentation corticale des 116 régions anatomiques, en associant à chacune d’elles un vecteur d’attribut issu du calcul des 4 premiers moments des intensités de voxels, et en y incluant par ailleurs l’entropie. Sur la base de l’aire de courbes ROC, nous avons établi qualitativement la pertinence de chacune des régions anatomiques, en fonction du nombre de paramètres du vecteur d’attribut qui lui était associé, pour séparer le groupe des sujets sains de celui des sujets atteints de la maladie d’Alzheimer. Dans notre étude nous avons proposé une nouvelle approche de sélection de régions les plus pertinentes, nommée "combination matrix", en se basant sur un système combinatoire. Chaque région est caractérisée par les différentes combinaisons de son vecteur d’attribut. L’introduction des régions les plus pertinentes(en terme de pouvoir de séparation des sujets) dans le classificateur supervisé SVM nous a permis d’obtenir, malgré la réduction de dimension opérée, un taux de classification meilleur que celui obtenu en utilisant l’ensemble des régions. / Our research focuses on presenting a novel computer-aided diagnosis technique for brain Positrons Emission Tomography (PET) images. It processes and analyzes quantitatively these images, in order to better characterize and extract meaningful information for medical diagnosis. Our contribution is to present a new method of classifying brain 18 FDG PET images. Brain images are first segmented into 116 Regions Of Interest (ROI) using an atlas. After computing some statistical features (mean, standarddeviation, skewness, kurtosis and entropy) on these regions’ histogram, we defined a Separation Power Factor (SPF) associated to each region. This factor quantifies the ability of each region to separate neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer disease from Healthy Control (HC) brain images. A novel region-based approach is developed to classify brain 18FDG-PET images. The motivation of this work is to identify the best regional features for separating HC from AD patients, in order to reduce the number of features required to achieve an acceptable classification result while reducing computational time required for the classification task.

The innate immune system in vertebrates is considered to lack specific memory. To investigate innate immune system based immunological protection mediated by cells that are not part of the acquired immune system the Tübingen recombination activation gene1 (rag1)t26683 mutant (MT) zebrafish was chosen. Molecular analysis demonstrated MT zebrafish kidney cells expressed Non-specific Cytotoxic cell receptor protein-1 (NCCRP-1) and Natural Killer cell (NK) lysin but lacked T cell receptor (TCR) and immunoglobulin (Ig) VH1, VH2, VH3 and VH4 expression. Differential counts of peripheral blood leukocytes indicated that MT fish had decreased lymphocyte populations (34.7%) compared to rag1+/+ wild-type (WT) fish (70.5%), and increased granulocyte populations (34.7%) compared to WT (17.6%). Further, endocytic functions of phagocytes from MT fish were compared to WT fish. No significant differences in the selective and non-selective mechanisms of uptake in phagocytes were observed between MT and WT zebrafish. For the first time it was shown that zebrafish phagocytes utilize macropinocytosis and Ca2+ dependant endocytosis mechanisms for antigen uptake. These characterization studies suggest that MT zebrafish provide a unique model for investigating innate immune responses because fully functional innate defenses are present without the influence of lymphocytes and lymphocyte associated acquired immune responses. To conduct such large scale investigations the first ongoing rag1t26683 mutant zebrafish breeding colony was established. To meet special husbandry needs of immunodeficient MT zebrafish, standard rearing protocols were advanced and the information was made available to the zebrafish community at: http://www.cvm.msstate.edu/zebrafish/index.html. Multiple trials were conducted to evaluate the potential for memory of the innate immune system. Significant reduction in mortality was observed in MT vaccinated zebrafish upon secondary exposure to Edwardsiella ictaluri when compared to unvaccinated, MT fish. This documents for the first time, that MT zebrafish, lacking an acquired immune system, are able to mount a protective immune response to Edwardsiella ictaluri and generate protection upon a repeated encounter to the same pathogen. The observed protection is long lasting and mediated by the innate immune system, but a specific mechanism is not yet defined.